BBC boss Tim Davie rejects business model idea ahead of next month’s license fee rise

The BBC director-general has said a license fee business model would be a mistake and could leave the UK media market “looking exactly like the US”.

talking Britain Tonight by Sarah-Jane MeeTim Davey said: “In my opinion, this is actually the wrong choice for society, for us. If you only have one commercial market, there are bigger things at play here.”

“I don’t want to see our media market look exactly like the US. It’s a choice for all of us. It’s not imposed by the BBC. It’s a choice of what kind of media market we have.”

He also confirmed to Sky News that the investigation into the newscaster Hugh Edwards ongoing.

Mr Davey recognized the need for license fee reform but added: “I’m not just here to push for license fee higher. That’s not my job.My job is to make sure every person, every family gets their money’s worth and almost every adult currently uses British Broadcasting Corporation every month, so we feel that the service we provide is good value for money. “

The license fee has been frozen at £159 for two years due to the cost of living crisis, but in 2023 the government announced it would take advantage of lower inflation to stay afloat. Household fees increase to £169.50 per year from April.

The freeze and rising inflation have forced the broadcaster to reassess its priorities and seek to save £500m, with Mr Davey announcing on Tuesday that a further £200m would be needed.

Mr Davy was speaking at a Royal Television Society (RTS) event in London to discuss the future direction of the BBC and its role in the UK, where he revealed the corporation would launch its “largest-ever consultation process” next year to allow the public driving debate about its future.

The BBC recently revealed that it is considering placing ads in podcasts on third-party platforms from next year.

Doctor Who and David Attenborough

As for other platforms, Mr Davy told Sky News: “I want to protect the BBC’s ad-free service on my watch,” adding that “there will never be ads on BBC One”.

He said that while advertising might be added to third-party platforms sharing BBC content outside the UK, viewers within the UK would not notice any difference.

He said: “Doctor Who looks slightly richer than it did two seasons ago because of a great deal with Disney, and if you take David Attenborough as an example, some of their The best shows of this generation are often largely funded by international commercial companies.

“So as long as we maintain editorial control over our values, we can invest, and I think actually we should grow the commercial arm of the BBC.”

So, what is the BBC’s unique selling proposition in a crowded market?

Mr David told Sky News: “We need to double down on where we are different… it’s really important that we don’t just follow the market.”

He said there were three key areas that were important, firstly pursuing the truth without an agenda, secondly focusing on British content and thirdly coming together to celebrate the Euros, Glastonbury Festival and even the latest hit BBC series The reboot of Gladiator.

Acknowledging the success of commercial channels including Sky and ITV, he said he was a supporter of their work, not a competitor and “we should all work together”.

The importance of press freedom

At a time when more and more media are delivering personalized content to viewers, whether it will be a losing battle for the BBC to try to offer something for everyone, Mr Davy is clear.

“I think it’s more needed and less outdated than ever… Algorithms or personalization can drive you to content, but that has a social impact. It’s more polarizing. You’re in your echo chamber middle.

“I think if you leave it entirely to the market, we know where this story is going to go. 70% of the countries in the world don’t even have a free press right now, and that’s going to impact our ability to hold politicians accountable… These things matter. .”

In an election year, if there is a possible change of government, will a new leadership party signal a change in fortunes for the BBC?

David said: “One thing I’m not going to do is start speculating about what’s going to happen with the election or anything else. I just think the BBC has to focus on its business and get on with its work.”

“The world is changing – we must listen”

Asked if he had sat down with the leader of the opposition Keir Starmer Discussing Labour’s policy on license fees, Mr Davey said: “Of course we are talking to all parties.

“It is also right that we seek an appropriate degree of reform of the license fee, but I would keep an open mind and be appropriately cautious because we have something valuable in the UK.

“The last thing the BBC can do is sit back and let nothing change because the market is changing and the world is changing. I think we have to listen.”

As for where the BBC will be in 20 years, David said: “The rest of the world is becoming more polarized and the algorithms are becoming more and more narrow in their personalization around you.

“I [hope the BBC will provide] This is a completely unique space that will be treasured because of the way it brings people together. Hopefully this funding will be funded in a way that protects public service broadcasting for all. It’s worth fighting. “

The latest on the Hugh Edwards scandal

Sky News also asked for the latest news Investigation into newscaster Hugh EdwardsDavid, who was accused of paying a teenager thousands of pounds for pornographic photos last year, confirmed the process was ongoing.

“This is absolutely something that we need to address fairly and appropriately with individuals. It’s not something that I talk about publicly… We will go through the process fairly and appropriately,” he said.

Mr Davey would not confirm whether Edwards would return to television screens at any time.